Karen Osney Brownstein Endowed Chair in Molecular Neuro-Oncology, UCSF
Director, Epigenetics Division of the Cell Cycling and Signaling
Program, UCSF
| CONTACT | |
|
jcostello@cc.ucsf.edu
1450 3rd St., MC 0875; PO Box 589001 deliveries: 1450 3rd Street, HD-200; San Francisco, CA 94158 |
|
| LABORATORY MEMBERS | |
|
Ravi Nagarajan, PhD; Chibo Hong, PhD; Shaun Fouse, PhD |
|
| RESEARCH SUMMARY | |
|
Current research investigates the role of genetic and epigenetic alterations in the development of sporadic cancers, with a focus on brain and breast tumors. Deletion and aberrant methylation are prevalent in tumorigenesis, yet the interaction of these gene inactivation mechanisms on a genome-wide scale is entirely unknown. We use a DNA fingerprinting technique termed Restriction Landmark Genomic Scanning (RLGS) to simultaneously assess the methylation status of thousands of gene-associated CpG islands, focusing on those genes that are aberrantly silenced by methylation in the tumors. Using the human genome sequence and a custom computer program, we are creating chromosomal maps of the genes and chromosomal position of the CpG islands displayed on RLGS profiles. These methylation maps can be directly integrated with high-resolution genomic methods such as array-based Comparative Genome Hybridization (array CGH). By integrating the genomic and epigenomic approaches, we assess the interaction of genome copy number changes and aberrant gene methylation in tumors. The particular genes affected by recurrent convergence of methylation and deletion are also a focus of our research. |
